Basic Environment Act (Kankyō Kihon Hō)
The Basic Environment Act (Kankyō Kihon Hō) is Japan’s framework environmental legislation. Enacted in 1993, the Act establishes the basic principles of environmental policy, the responsibilities of the government and citizens, and the framework for environmental conservation and pollution control. The Act created the Environment Council and requires the government to prepare Basic Environment Plans.
Legal area: Law governing environmental protection and conservation.
Year enacted: 1993
Full text: https://elaws.e-gov.go.jp/document?lawid=japan-basic-environment-act
Key Provisions
- Chapter I: Basic principles (sustainable development, participation)
- Chapter II: Environmental conservation (measures, targets)
- Chapter III: Pollution prevention (emission standards, liability)
- Chapter IV: Environmental impact assessment
- Chapter V: Environmental committees and councils
- Chapter VI: Environmental education and information
Significance
The Basic Environment Act provides the overarching framework for Japan’s environmental law. The Act’s principles of sustainable development and citizen participation have influenced subsequent environmental legislation. Japan’s environmental policy has evolved from pollution control in the 1960s-70s to broader environmental protection. The Act has been supplemented by specific environmental statutes including the Air Pollution Control Act, the Water Pollution Prevention Act, and the Act on Promotion of Resource Circulation.